Academy Makes Strong Return to League Play

TUKWILA, WA—Sounders FC Academy returned to USSDA league play this weekend with a strong showing against the Vancouver Whitecaps and California Development Academy (CDA) at Starfire Sports Complex. The teams flooded the net, outscoring their opponents 13-4 over four games, picking up three wins.

The U16 Sounders came out and continued their dominant run in league play. On Saturday, they dominated their Vancouver counterparts 4-0 behind goals from Isidro Prado-Huerta , James Nosack, and two goals from Denis Kalamar—giving him three goals in his last two games. Prado-Huerta got them on the board in the 31st minute on an assist from Michael Steele, and the second half was all Sounders. Nosack’s second goal of the season came on an unassisted strike in the 50th minute just minutes before Steele fed Kalamar in the 55th. Kalamar’s second goal made it 4-0 in the 69th after a crafty run by James Molyneaux-Elliot.

The U16’s didn’t miss a step Sunday, dismantling CDA 5-1 to give them five USSDA NW Division wins. Prado-Huerta scored first again in the 33rd minute on a Duncan McCormick assist, giving him a team-high five goals on the season, including four during the five-game win streak. Molyneaux-Elliot scored two goals—a PK in the 40th after Kalamar was fouled in the box, then a 47th minute goal on Steele’s third assist of the weekend. In the 62nd minute, Cody Crook bombed a deep free-kick into the side-netting for his first goal of the season. Ryan Harbor joined the party with his first goal of the season in the 75th minute on a feed from Miguel Medina, making it 5-0 before CDA scored a consolation goal late. The Rave Green U16’s have outscored opponents 20-5 during their five-game streak.

The U18 Academy squad got the lone Sounders loss of the weekend on Saturday against the Whitecaps. After Vancouver went up 1-0 early, Ian Lange equalized in the 55th when he headed in his seventh goal of the season on an assist from Austin Sweeney. The score remained 1-1 until the visitors scored goals in the 80th and 86th minutes to win 3-1.

ISunday was a different story as the U18’s dropped CDA 3-0 behind a goal and two assists from Dom Dismuke. The 5’11” forward scored in the 25th minute on an assist from Jeffrey Collings, giving him a team-high nine goals in 11 games this season. Dismuke fed Jordan Schweitzer in the 45th and Jesse Klug in the second half to account for the other two goals.

Both Academy teams sit at 5-1-1 in NW Division play this season. Their next league test will be after the New Year on Jan 21st at Real Salt Lake Arizona.

Pre-Academy Update:

On Saturday, in addition to the Academy matchups, the Sounders FC Pre-Academy and 98/99 squads also had games against their Canadian rivals to the north. After the 98/99’s came away with a draw, the Pre-Academy blasted the Whitecaps 5-0. The Sounders saw goals from five different players—Ryan Schaefer (20th), Matt Reinikka (35th), Jaeger Skifstad (40th), Sean Bowman (41st), and Sergey Ptachik. Kalab Karlek assisted on Reinikka’s goal.

On December 7th, the Pre-Academy Sounders fell 1-0 to Westsound Krug at Starfire. After giving up an early sloppy goal, the Rave Green pressed hard the remainder of the game but were unable to come up with an equalizer.